Device for connecting the panels of portable field-fences



JOEL HAINES, OF WEST B'IIDDLEBURG, OHIO.

DEVICE FOR CON NECTING THE PANELS OF PORTABLE FIELD-FENCES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 25,641, dated October 4, 1859.

To allwhom it may concern.

Be it known that I, J ont HAINEs, of West Middleburg, in the county of Logan and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Fences; and I do hereby declare that the same are described and represented in the following spe-ciications and drawings.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my improvements I will proceed to describe their construction and use referring to the drawings in which the same letters indicate like parts in each of the figures.

Figure l, is an elevation of a fence with my improvements. Fig. 2, is a plan or top view of the same. Fig. I3, is an end elevation.

The nature of my invention and improvements in fences consists in a jointed link for joining or connecting the panels, in such a manner that a zigzag fence may be made with greater' or less angles, so as to stand without stakes or braces, or a straight fence if supported by stakes or braces.

In the accompanying drawings A, A., are the bars of the panels of a fence fastened to the end bars or standards B, B, by the nails or pins C, O, as shown in the drawing, so as to form a panel of the fence intended.

The standards B, I3, are perforated as shown at D, to receive the link E, Fig. 4:, which is put through thel standards of two panels as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and the upper ends of the braces F, F, are put through the ends of the link, so as to hold the ends of the panels together at the same time the ends of the braces are held against the standards; and pins G, G, may be put through the ends of the braces above the links, so as to hold the ends of the braces lirmly in the links and support the fence.

The lower ends ot' the braces may have a tenon to enter mortises in the sill I-I, which is laid on the ground or on a proper 'Foundation; and the sill H, has two cleats I, I, tastened upon it, a proper distance apart to receive the loweil ends of the standards between them as shown in the drawing Fig. 2, so as to hold the ends of the standards in a proper position on the sill I-I.

J, Fig. 5, is a. jointed link made in the form shown in the drawing consisting of two hooks linked or hooked together, so as to form a liexible joint. This jointed link may be substituted in place of the link E, Fig. el, and used in making straight fence with the braces F, F, heretofore described, or without braces by substituting keys in the ends of the link instead of braces (one of which is shown in Fig. (3,) the panels may be set as shown in Fig. T, so as to torni a zigzag fence with angles more or less obtuse so that the tence will stand wit-hout either stakes or braces; as the corner oi the standard B, Fig. 7, comes against the side of the standard B2, so that when the link is keyed up with the panels at an angle, as shown in Fig. 7, one panel supports the other making a tirm fence admirably adapted to agricultural purposes, as it is port-able and easily removed when the panels are separated, which can be easily and readily done, by taking out the keys and slipping out the links; and by taking out the key and slipping the link out of one part, the ends of the two panels may be swung apart to make a tempo ary opening which may be closed again, and made as firm as before with the saine ease and facility as it was opened.

Instead of making the link J, with two hooks it may be made with one by cutting oil' one part at the link K, and putting it through and bending it around, so as to clench it in the end of the panel as shown at L, Fig. 7 The panels of my fence will vibrate on the links, so as to accommodate t-he fence to uneven ground.

l hat I claim as my invention in the above described fence is,

The jointed links J, for connecting the ends of the panels, so arranged that by nsing a tapering key in the link, the angles of a zigzag fence may be made more or less obtuse as required, to make the fence stand firm in the position in which it is placed.

J OEL HAINES.

fitnesses I. KERNAN, J S. CONKLIN. 

